No, he hardly remembers a thing from last night, the only recollection floating through his brain are Hal yelling tons, the Zoroark wrangling her, and general fuzzy sensations of merriment. Lucario flutters his eyes open, finding himself strewn across the bread, the Typhlosion a comfortable foot or two away from him clenching the blue dolly again.
What is with him and this thing? Why does it have a Murkrow hat now?.
Lucario shakes himself awake, fluttering his eyes open as the Fire-type next to him worms further into his covers, slurring like a child.
"Good morning." Masters speaks groggily. "You really drank a tonne last night, you know."
"Really?" Lucario lets out a sigh, kicking his legs off. He feels his head pounding. "I don't… I don't think I remember a thing. You and I were having tons of berries, eating, then like…"
"Yeah, you passed out right afterwards. We started talking tactics and all that lovely stuff and you kept nodding along. I didn't know you were done at the time, so we kept going and going, and talking about all sorts of things. You started crying…goodness."
Crying about what? Well, he has a fair guess. Lucario gulps, a dry feeling scratches his throat.
"That's enough about that, though. Hal and Dexys said they aren't looking for the gears any more, they're looking for someone, someone to put under. They didn't want to say what because it would've spoiled the mood apparently, but we are not on their hit-list, quite the opposite."
"Dexys told us to keep on using that badge." Masters reaches to Lucario's chest, where there is now his steed's pink badge, plastered right up against his chest. Guess he stole it last night. Whiskey apparently fell asleep real quick. "We will find the gear this way, finish this…dumb hunt of ours."
The gear hunt, yeah. A fairly dumb hunt which has already resulted in so much pointless turmoil. He knows why he wants the gear, but still, the question lingers.
"You never told me." Lucaro begins to speak. "You never told me what you want the gears for you…everytime I ask."
Right on queue, Masters is out of his covers, already strapping on his gear in a sudden rush. He glances back at him.
"That's not important." He says, slapping on his hat. "We're gonna get you those gears, we're gonna beat whoever's collecting their lot, then we'll come out as kings or something, or…"
He seizes all movement, and his eyes stare off into nothingness. Masters expels a deep sigh, then moves to the door.
"Let's go." Masters says. "I'd rather not find out who could be ahead of us."
The brief journey takes them north once more. It seems all they have been doing lately is bouncing back and forth from the southern greens to the dark and terrible north. At least this time, they have something pointing towards their goal: the badge.. There is one person this badge could be pointing to this way: one with their prize.
"So, how bad is the person we're looking for if they got the ghost-lady scared?" Lucario says, picking out bits of leftover food between his big metal teeth. "Don't tell me we're suddenly chasing down villains out of a guildie book or something because I'm still recovering from what a pain Louisa was."
"You seem to know a thing or two about the criminal underground." Masters snorts. "Dexys said the person is the same type as Bisharp, we'll leave it at that."
So they are chasing madmen after all? Fun. Lucario spits onto the ground as the Rapidash keeps them along this stony, cold road. In the snow-covered mounds ahead, more and more bits of angular rocks protrude. A ruin? Ruins typically means dungeons - the homes of these gears.
Lucario looks down. The badge they were given swirls around, keeping it pointed in the relative direction they have been travelling. It took hours of fidgeting with it to get the needle pointing the right way and since coming here it has gotten more and more "active".
They pass through an arc of stones, the ground becoming steep. Their steed stops, letting out a defeated sigh.
"Sirs, this is as far as I can take you." Whiskey looks to Lucario for forgiveness. "Much too deep and iced over, I would endanger you both by attempting the climb."
Lucario slides off, Masters alongside him
"I didn't expect you to come with me." Lucario says, clipping the badge back on the Rapidash's mane. He gives the stone arch a light shove, it doesn't budge. Good cover. "Stay under here, we'll be back soon as we can."
"Aye, sire. Though I must protest, I have been becoming quite lonely." The Rapidash takes up position near the arch, settling next to a large stone. "It has been long since I have gone on an adventure with you two."
"You wouldn't be fond of the people we run into." Masters smirks, dusting off his ragged cloak. "Hal and Dexys are the exception. The fellow we met in the society? He'd want your head mounted."
"A fair assessment, sire Masters." Whiskey chuckles. "Even the ruffian's men proved troublesome in Lapis Town, keen on burning everything to the floor, including yours truly. Should have brought some rope with me, mayhaps I could have reeled you from the dungeon sure to be ahead."
"Appreciated, but I'm sure we can find our way out if we happen into one." Masters glances to where they came. What land is not covered in snow and ice, is adorned with patches of white moss and ruinous stones. "I'm more concerned about us being followed. If someone does happen to come after us, could you come after us?"
"Of course." Whiskey nods. "I can walk across the ice fine without you two on my back, though the way back would be perilous. Though I doubt it will be the least of our concerns then."
With a wave to Whiskey, Masters begins up the rocky path. Lucario follows closeby, following in the hot footsteps left behind by his fiery friend. As they crest over one hill the road continues downwards, passing through rocky arches and by statues crafted by travellers prior. Bits of rusted metal, trinkets, and scraps of black cloth rest around each shrine. This is a ruin of a sacred place to whom Lucario has no idea nor cares about.
They pass by one of these mounds. A shrine sits with a metal plaque embedded into it and strewn around it are long sticks of metal.. Lucario ignores the plaque right in front of him and pulls one of these things from the earth.
A completely metal spear, the length completely rusted, the head adorned with a torn black cloth. He sees Masters roll his eyes.
"Hey!" Lucario says, spinning the chunk of metal in his hands. It has the same weight and heft as a bone rush if he still used his as a plain old staff. "This thing's cool as winter, don't tell me you wouldn't wanna have one yourself.!
He holds the rusted spear in both hands, stabbing the air next to Masters. The Typhlosion is unamused, gesturing at the plaque in front of him. Lucario squints, giving it a read as Masters narrates.
To those who have perished against the light thy armaments here, to be remembered from now unto ever. Thy sacrifices fuel the knight's ambition - let it empower all who oppose the wretched light.
Lucario plants the spear back where it belongs with the dozens of weapons and armors of its fallen fiends. He's not going to be haunted, not today.
"You said the Knight, Halcion doesn't shut up about him. I think his name is Zekrom." Lucario glances between the plaque and the old explorer. "Since when did you learn Unown script anyways? Nerds only know that nonsense."
"A thieving friend sparked my interest and I took up after him." He smiles upon mentioning this person. "We might be running up to militant ruins. If any ghosts are here, they will be well trained, same for ferals. The Sea and its mystery dungeons slow age to a halt, don't be surprised if we bump into something with a pointy stick."
"So what? You're saying there's gonna be warriors from billions of years ago running around?" Lucario snorts, backing away from the cobbled together shrine. "Is this why Hal let us run off? Because she expects to become food for whatever's out here?"
"No, nothing like that, Luc." Masters huffs. "If she had wanted us gone I promise you'd be floating in the Quartz river right now. I didn't think we'd have to fight armored warriors, but here we are. The possibility is not zero."
Masters collects himself, breathing out a warm tuft of fire. He beckons Lucario, and Lucario follows. The pair continues down icy roads, hopping onto each stone as if the pillowy white clouds were molten lava.
Down this hill they see another arch, this one leading into what appears to be the remains of a temple or something of the like. They approach, the walls stretch high over to an arched ceiling, and snow peeters through the cracks in the roof like raindrops. Rows of benches and coffins lead their way to a large podium with a ring in the stone for a huge being to stand. There is another arch opposite of the stand.
Wherever they are on the dusk continent, Lucario and Masters are most certainly in the heat of things. Behind those pews, through an arch, they can see even more similar ruins going on forever. Masters, the only one of the two who cares about this place's history, walks up to the podium.
"There's some metal tablets here." Masters looks over to Lucario. "Can I read them to you?"
"You can, I don't care." Lucario begins searching through the temple. "I'm more interested to know if they've been buried with anything good, you bet?"
"If you get cursed, don't ask me for help."
Lucario scoffs, turning his attention to one of the various stone coffins slotted into the walls. He finds the one which looks to be the least rotted, then with his fighting-type strength, slides it out. The coffin slams against the floor with a deafening thump. Masters pretends to shut out the graverobbing.
The lid over the coffin is mossy, overgrown, and worn at its ends. Lucario manages to wriggle free enough to peer inside. The sparkle of something gold around a dead thing's neck makes the thief crack a smile.
"Hey, 'M! Got something here!"
He looks towards the podium. Masters in on the floor. A chunk is missing from his shoulder.
Lucario forms an aura sphere without a thought, keeping it close in hand while his senses die out and Aura Sight takes hold. Masters still has his ghostly aura coming from him. He is
"Alive". Something dark and vengeful is by the way they came in. Lucario gets a read then unleashes the sphere.
It hits a shimmering Protect shield.
"Had you been there with your friend, Rei, it'd be over. Nice and quick."
The sinister voice eats right into Lucario. His aura senses flick off, sight returns, and standing in the archway, is what remains of Bisharp. A fire had melted his helmet, hot steel pouring down his face till it hardened, covering everything under the helm other than a single feverish eye.
"How?"
"Reviver seeds." Lucario can see through Bisharp's melted as it spews vitriol. "Saved my life, couldn't save everything else."
"Is it your plan to throw it away again? That's what is about to happen!"
Light pours in from the hole in the ceiling, lighting up the body of Masters strewn at the podium's base. Lucario books it straight for Masters. The fur on his neck rises up, why isn't Bisharp trying to stop-
A loud whistling screams past his ears, and a chunk of molten rock barely misses the podium. Fire spews everywhere. Lucario blinks, the meteorite is gone.
Oh great, he can summon meteors.
Lucario grabs the body of Masters and drags him the long way across the temple. Bisharp reaches into a quiver, then throws an Iron Thorn. When it hits the wall behind him, Masters twitches and billows out a smokescreen.
"Aurasight." Masters groans.
Without missing a beat, he switches over his senses. He sees the figure of Bisharp observe the mist. He throws a thorn through the fog, hitting the pews, overshooting his pace. And through the confusion, Lucario barely manages to carry them out the front door, flicking his senses back to normal upon the cold winter light hitting him.
There are ruins strewn all around, walls, large stones which assuredly once used to build whatever it is. All along this place between the hills, chunks of white masonry nearly blend into the snow. Lucario throws themselves behind a massive series of pillars, going through an opening in the short wall which runs between each in the colonnade. Masters is able to get back up on his own; chunk missing out of him be damned.
"I was lucky it was more fire than stone." Masters pops the last of Mismagius' colbur down his throat. His undead body begins to stitch itself together. "Knocked me on my back, scared the daylights out of me, but I'll be fine."
"Great! Good for you!" Lucario motions to the thing tied underneath his cowl. "You're the one with the smarts here, what's going on? Gear nonsense?"
"What else can it be?" Masters answers. "I don't think he has two abilities, I don't believe anyone does. This is the same stuff as last time."
"Then how do you explain being able to throw stars down from the sky? What, is he a Dragon-type now? Did we get on some deity's bad side?"
"If you did, we'd be done for."
Perhaps out of pure fear now, Lucario looks up. Suddenly, a yellow flame lights the sky, and an object comes falling towards them. Masters already has him by the arm, dragging him to an adjacent Column.
It cracks the earth, sending rocks flying outwards. It hits where they were, beating into the stone around it like hailstones. A blink later, the damage is instantly undone. This feels like Bisharp's gear alright.
Lucario looks past their cover to see Bisharp stepping down from the temple. His eye glares through him.
"Do you care for a history lesson, little Rei?"
Lucario is about to shout something back when Masters snaps his mouth shut. "Let him ramble." the Typhlosion whispers.
"Long before we were ever here there once was a stone tower so vast it stretched to the stars. Its name was Destiny Tower, and it was where the people of the world went to commune with a higher power. Someone didn't take kindly to the idea of a being out there making decisions for us. His army tore the tower asunder, and it came crashing down to the earth, turning swathes of continents into ash."
"Fittingly, or perhaps on purpose, his little place here was right in the path of it. For everyone, this means this place is a mystery to be gawked at and for the boss you betrayed to fawn over. For his men, it became its grave. And for you: it means fiery death."
Bisharp unsheathes an Iron Thorn and sprints for their run.. Masters spits spectral fire into his hand and hurls it just as the sky lights once more. Lucario runs out of the meteor's incoming path, right into an Iron Thorn.
It impales his upper leg as Lucario tumbles face-first into the snow. The meteorite hits the pillar, and Masters throws himself in the way of the scoring hot pebbles, absorbing the blast. Bisharp closes the distance further, and Lucario forms a bone club, ripping out the thorn with his other hand.
Lucario gets to his feet. The fire Masters threw hits a Protect, turning to harmless smoke.. Masters holds his fists together and lightning begins to crackle.
"Plan?" Masters says.
"Separate him from his gear." Lucario states. "And for you: try not to get slashed again."
An awful, wrenching snap is heard through the smoke. A thorn flies out past them followed immediately by Bisharp. Night Slash streaks towards Masters, Lucario blocks it with his club, and Masters' fists slam into Bisharp - the sparks exploding as they beat his metal skin.
One, two, three. Masters gets a barrage in before Bisharp crosses his arms. Masters fists collide with Protect while Lucario hammers it with his club, failing to break through.
An orange shine activates behind the shield. Bisharp holds a gear in one hand, and in the other, the broken half of a thorn.
By time Lucario hears it whistling, the pointy end of a thorn has flown out from the blue into Masters' back, going straight through the ghost-type to converge with its other half. Bisharp drops the thorn and brings down a Night Slash.
And without a second thought, Lucario throws himself forwards, tackling the Bisharp to the snow-laden floor as Night Slash hits somewhere which doesn't matter. Lucario starts raining down Bullet Punches, every one aiming for the orange glow clenched in Bisharp's gauntlet.
His fists pry Bisharp's fingers apart. Lucario is able to wrestle his palm open. He reaches for the prize as Bisharp raises his opposite hand. He chops down, hard..
Brick Break hits Lucario's arm. Pain races through Lucario's body as he reels back, his arm bent and dangling in ways he never thought imaginable. Every twitch in his warped lmb feels like a hundred of the thorns being driven through his skin. Rei screams in agony.
Bisharp worms away from him, dragging himself across the ground to the nearest broken pillar. His gear shines, Lucario throws out a pathetic Dark Pulse with his good arm, failing to even hit Bisharp as he is whisked away by his gear, restoring the pillar to former regal self - tossing himself to the opposite side of the wall.
Lucario turns around, throwing himself against the fallen pillar as sees Masters on the floor, clenching a piece of fabric close to his chest. He looks towards Lucario with a blank look in his eyes, managing to get out only one word:
"Rain."
Rei races past him to the area between the columns. It was probably a temple or some other fanciful place.
Right now, it is a battlefield. The remains of a roof are strewn around them, providing ample cover between the snowy mounds for him to dodge a thorn - Bisharp standing at the opposite end. Lucario is the only obstacle between him and the wounded explorer..
The word lingers. Rain? What do they need rain for? It is way too cold up here for it to even rain. It's unlike a fire-type, ghost or not, to be asking for bad weather.
His time to think it through runs short. Lucario readies up an Aura Sphere as Bisharp begins his charge. If Aura Sphere connects - which it will for sure - he will just shield it. It is not going to work.
Lucario lets the sphere run loose, chucking it wildly at the mound in Bisharp's way. Stone and snow fly into his face. He shields, the snow blinding him for the precious seconds Lucario needs to catch up. As the veil lifts Lucario is there, swinging a club.
Bone Rush connects. He hammers straight into the Bisharp, going for the gauntlet, trying to tear the gear free with blow after blow. Bone Rush snaps. Lucario takes the broken piece and slams it into Bishop's hand, pinning it to the wall between the colums.
Right in time for him to see a lovely glow coming from above. Bisharp pulls hard on Lucario's bad arm and he falls right into him. His arm wraps tight around Lucario's neck, turning his head to make sure he gets a lovely view of his fiery fate.
"You could have turned your bounty in, live your life cushy and comfy." Bisharp's fingers reach up, poking at his hat. "Don't think because you were his precious little boy things are gonna be different, you're about to end up like every stupid bird who wears this hat. That's just how this world is. And if you had left this life when you had the chance, you'd live to see past today."
"I'm no different. I've accepted my fate, and it's about time you do!"
A cold glow presses against Lucario's neck. Lucario looks at Bisharp's arm.
Ruts eats at the gauntlet against his neck and strength returns to his crippled arm. Enough for him to rip himself free and throw Bisharp forwards - straight into the comet.
The comet shatters into a hail of fire, the effect quickly, and suddenly disappears. Bisharp recovers, the gear shining through a hole the rust ate through his hand. He lands not the least deterred, angrier than before.
Lucario no longer gives him the light of day, he spins up another Aura Sphere then shoots it at the snowy floor. A light shines, and the snow his move scatters instantaneously falls back into place. No more rain; now snow. Lucario still charges in.
Lucario's Bullet Fists hit against a barrier. He needs only one hand to summon up a Protect shield. Bisharp raises up his gauntlet once more. Another Brick Break comes down.
It hits an arm, utterly ruining it. He nearly blacks out from the pain swelling up inside him but pulls through, tapping the gear hidden by his cloak and restoring life to the shattered arm at the cost of another's. Free at last with Bisharp where he needs him, Lucario unleashes all he can.
Bullet Punch after bullet punch rain down. One after the other they strike Bisharp's metal flesh, failing to even dent his defenselessness.
"Give up!" Lucario roars.
He senses the flare overhead. A meteorite is coming, because of course it is, he does not have the time. Lucario forms a bone club which upon swinging, explodes against the protect barrier.
"Give up already!"
His fists beat against the metal wall. The force of a million punches fails to even harm the thing below, but pushes Bisharp even deeper into the stone floor. Bisharp laughs. He can take this, he can take as many as he needs.
His fists are burning, his heart is racing. Lucario lets out an earth-shattering scream, tuning out the comet and his imminent demise altogether. His hands feel like they are about to melt, but Lucario presses through his own ichor flying out from his wounded knuckles with every senseless punch.
When suddenly, a spark ignites.
His hands glow with thunderous energy racing between them, arcs and currents traveling through the brass wiring which are his foul colored bones. He pulls back a fist, lightning coursing through it, then lets loose the inspired might of Thunder Punch.
The single blow shatters the molten helmet, then another, then another. Lightning races across Bisharp's metal skin, frying the delicate creature underneath as his laughter turns into screams of pain. The molten visage turns into a pulp, each furious punch pushing him further and further to death's gates.
Then with one final strike, he paints the ruin beneath Bisharp a mortifying red. The comet comes down, hitting Lucario square in his side. He is thrown away, hitting the floor as a misshapen mass, his body burning from the impact.
The Gear falls out of his burned cloak, so too does the mega stone. Lucario takes in a wheezing, painful breath, and looks to Masters.
Only to find something tall, dark and resembling a walking shadow lording over the unconscious Masters. His body too weak to move as he watches as this thing extends its long glowing claws towards Masters' neck and rip two time gears from him. The figure, appearing like a bipedal creature dawned in a commander's garment, turns its glowing blue eyes towards Lucario and the defeated Bisharp.
"You're Rei, aren't you?" She speaks in a strange, calm tone. "You have my thanks for collecting the gears for me, and I shall grant you mercy."
She takes a step away from Masters. Long, almost insect-like stilts protrude from her dress, stabbing the ground as she stands tall. She reaches into her coat, pulling out a seed which she chucks towards the barely conscious Bisharp. He instantly stuffs it into his mouth, chewing down, undoing all of Lucario's work with a simple Reviver Seed.
The figure pulls on her coat body, revealing two gears in her possession already..
"I'm assuming you believed there were twelve, so did I, but there are fewer/." She ceases holding her jacket, letting it hide her assortment. "You don't have to believe me, but my goal for these things is an altruistic one. I do not want power, or fortune, both of which I already have in my guild far from this world."
"But I seek to close the barrier which allowed me to come to this world: The Sea. The same construct which eats away at your reality, slowly and surely assuring a world where no light shines."
"D-...D-"
She looks down behind her. Masters, near her feet, stirs to life.
"Darkrai…since when did you care…"
This Darkrai gives him a perplexed look. He caught her by surprise.
"Pardon?" She says. "You're the first to speak my name."
Masters worms about, and this Darkrai, intrigued, lets him slowly get his bearings - still sitting himself flatly along the floor. He stuffs the cloth in his hand back into his hat, keeping it nice and safe.
"Since when did you care about stopping a world of Darkness? I thought you were all over this idea, you loved it, you almost had me helping you in ensuring it."
She continues to eye him.
"Perhaps you are mistaken. The world of darkness is an inevitability in your land, there must have been another of my kin who attempted to rush it, am I not wrong?"
"You don't sound like him. He was more determined than you were, and wanted to stop some light stuff at any cost. You're not him, you never could be him, so what are you?"
Both Lucario and Masters stare her way, spotting the emblem encrusted on her chest: a blue diamond surrounded by wings of gold. Wherever she is from it is the same place as Whiskey, Dexys, and possibly Louisa. This is Darkrai, but not their Darkrai.
"I am Darkrai." She states for them all to hear. "My aim is to put a halt to this Sea and save you from the clutches of the outside world. You may be of interest to me, but I have no quarrel with you."
She goes to step away on these long legs, and Masters reaches out, seizing her leg. A Dark Pulse instantaneously forms in the palm of her hand as she points it down towards him. Masters pulls, dragging her to the earth, just in the nick of time.
CRACK!
A familiar sound echoes all around them as a water bullet pierces straight through Darkrai's face, barely grazing the fire-type underneath it. She throws herself away from Masters, transforming into a gelatinous muck along the floor, dashing past masters, through Bisharp to the gear Lucario dropped. She lets out a vile hiss, appearing from the floor for a split second.
"Fulfill your part of the contract, Bisharp and return to me." She speaks. A hole in her visage oozes out foul fluid. "The safety of this world does not wait for the likes of you."
And Bisharp, after consuming the seed, rises to his feet. Darkrai swiftly flees the scene as Bisharp stomps towards Lucario.
Lucario looks back, Masters faces him, then nods solemly. His words echo. "Rain."
Mustering up what strength he could, Lucario forms an Aura Sphere. Bisharp forms a protect sphere preemptively as the move careens past him towards a mound of snow, kicking it up, and just as quickly being shoved back into place by Bisharp's gear.
Another CRACK echoes in the distance, hitting the shield asBisharp instantly retaliates. A familiar pink lizard is revealed next to Masters. An iron spike protrudes from his stomach, fluid spilling out of Louisa like a red geyser.
He crumbles instantly, keeping both his hands on the wound. Membranes flick over his lizardy eyes and two pink dots glare towards Bisharp with unmatched fury. Bisharp ignores it, turning his full attention to Lucario lying half-awake at their feet.
"Do you remember what you and your partner did to me? Did you even care? Do you not know what it is like to have your body melt before your eyes? I am glad to show you, Rei."
Bisharp weakly reaches into his quiver, popping a large, orange seed into his mouth. A Blast Seed. He is going to burn him alive. Lucario stares up, watching Bisharp clamp down on the volatile seed. Fire builds in his mouth, then…
"Hrk!"
A light shines in the distance. Louisa stands. The ichor pouring from his wound has turned everything in its path a translucent red, and between his hands conceals a glow.
"Hoo boy. There are two things I can say: gears nary affect living targets, and your boss would most certainly have destroyed us all if she knew what I had."
Bisharp remains frozen, his eyes widening as he towers above Lucario. Never once did he picture himself to be glad to see this lizard again.
"You could have returned the earth to a state where it wasn't raining, or restore the snow to prevent me from causing snowfall: my fellow explorers in the society you callously attacked have told me this much about your ability. And thanks to Glenn, I found out your limits"
"I let the thorn pierce me, so I can camouflage it in plain sight. And as for the seed, well…"
A bright, fiery light shines through Bisharp's exposed jaw. The Blast seed, having been punctured, slowly lets loose its burning material.
"The second a blast seed is chewed into it lets disperses its content, and had you not tried to burn Lucario alive, this had never worked." Louisa extends a long, lizardy finger towards Bisharp. "I froze the Blast Seed in space with my Time Gear! That heat you feel now are the trumpets of your demise! You're the one who doomed yourself, Bisharp!"
The heat builds and builds. Bits of molten steel begin to seep through the hole in Bisharp's maw. The fear flashing across his one exposed eye says all: he knows these are his last moments. He erupts into screaming anf flame.
"Rei! You impudent mutt!"
A Brick Break comes plummeting down to Lucario's neck, and instantly, a well-placed shot from Louisa sends his hand tumbling out of Lucario's way. Mustering up all the strength he can, lightning begins to race between his fists, and Lucario lets loose.
One, two, three, he tears apart his chest armor - the bits of blades flying off of him with every true strike. Four, five six, the electrified punches to Bisharp's stomach send him lurching forwards. Seven - the final powerful blow shatters his helmet - sending him careening backwards as the Blast Seed ignites.
"Worthle-"
An explosion shatters their ears. Bisharp hits the floor. Where there was once the smug, sneering face of a steel-type, now lies a smoldering crater. Bisharp is no more.
Lucario draws a long, much needed breath. Louisa creeps past his partner towards him. Rei reaches for his stone, then plucks Bisharp's gear from his remains, throwing the troublesome metal Louisa's way. He catches it.
"Take it." Lucario says. "You deserve it more than I do."
Louisa examines it, then looks towards Bisharp's rusted corpse. Louisa grumbles.
"I'm glad you have learned some kind of lesson, but I need yours. Where is it?" He looks back to Lucario with a scowl. "My baby girl's hurt because of you, there's nothing we have which can reverse its aging. If you are sincerely sorry and half the man you've shown yourself to be, then come with me and heal her."
The gear, his gear. Darkrai took it. Masters speaks up for him, hand reaching out.
"He doesn't have it. I know someone who can heal her, you just need to trust me."
The Inteleon stops in his tracks, finally taking the stained thorn out of his gullet and letting it clatter to the floor. He flashes looks between the two, scowling at Lucario, looking perplexed as his companion. Finally he moves towards Lucario's friend, extending a hand.
"Your friend's changed."
Masters looks past the beanpole, smiling at Lucario.
"I would hope so."